4. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way (I think the mix made 18 cupcakes for me)

5. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Check with toothpick.

6. Cool COMPLETELY before frosting.

For Green Tea Glaze

3/4-1 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp Earth Balance or coconut oil (I used earth balance)

1-2 tsp almond milk

1-2 tsp warm water

1/2 tsp matcha powder

dash of almond extract

marizipan for decoration

more powdered sugar for decoration

1. Time for the marzipan decorations! I rolled out the marzipan in powdered sugar, cut the shapes out with a cookie cutter and set aside. (There are tons of how tos, videos and blogs around. This is a more complicated route, but I think Vegan Yum Yum is amazing so check this one) I added red food coloring to half the flowers.

4. Split batter in half, to one half add the hot water with coffee and almond extract. To the other half add the almond milk, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract.

4. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way (I think the mix made 9 of each flavor or 18 total cupcakes for me)

5. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Check with toothpick.

6. Cool COMPLETELY before frosting.

For Mocha Glaze:

3/4-1 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp Earth Balance or coconut oil (I used earth balance)

1-2 tsp almond milk

1-2 tsp warm water

2 tsp instant coffee

dash of almond extract

marizipan for decoration

more powdered sugar for decoration

cinnamon for decoration

chocolate chips for decoration

1. Time for the marzipan decorations! I rolled out the marzipan in powdered sugar, cut the shapes out with a cookie cutter and set aside. (There are tons of how tos, videos and blogs around. This is a more complicated route, but I think Vegan Yum Yum is amazing so check this one)

2. Cream half the sugar and margarine until crumbly.

3. Add in almond milk, water, and coffee, and beat in remaining sugar.

4. Adjust consistency if needed, it should be pretty soupy.

5. Dip each mocha cupcake top into the frosting and roll until covered. While frosting is still wet, add the marizpan decroations. I made flowers and put a chocolate chip in the middle. Then I sprinkled cinnamon over everything. Yum!

For Chocolate Frosting:

1 3/4- 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar (I used a looooot)

1 tbsp Earth Balance or coconut oil (I used earth balance)

2-4 tsp almond milk

1 tbsp of cocoa powder

dash of vanilla extract

1. Cream half the sugar and margarine until crumbly.

2. Add in almond milk and cocoa powder, and vanilla extract, and beat in remaining sugar.

3. Adjust consistency if needed.
4. Pipe frosting on top of cupcakes, I made it tall, swirly and wonderful, then I took chocolate chips and sprinkled them over everything. You'll note from my photo I did NOT wait the proper amount of time to frost the cupcakes. Haha.

EDIT: Due to the controversy surrounding Bob's Red Mill products right now, I'm unsure I want to promote them. There are other gluten free mixes (I've used Betty Crocker's which was pretty good) you can use, just adjust the liquid ingredients to what the mix you purchased asks for.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

I love cupcakes, but what girl doesn't? They're cute, small, and delicious. Recently I house-sat for my friend Allie and as a thank you, she bought me this amazing book:

The book was intoxicating, not a lot of gluten free options, but the ideas in this book blew my mind!
Anyway, it came in very helpful when Doe Deere asked me to bring a vegan/gluten free dessert option to her housewarming party. I immediately started scouring the book looking for Asian style recipes. I came up with Green Tea Almond and Rosewater Pistachio. Neither of these recipes were gluten free so I decided to improvise with a Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Vanilla Mix. And OH MY GOSH the combo of everything was so decadent, I had to make an extra batch (The second batch I did mocha fudge and chocolate truffle) because Brian, myself, and friends ate a ton of them the night before the housewarming.... oops. These cupcakes were the best gleegan cupcakes I have ever made, Brian swears that they are too moist to be really gleegan. So here we go. Over the next three days I will be posting the three dolled up cupcake recipes I did, and if you like them I strongly suggest you get Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. It's an amazing read, I'm super impressed. Let me preface I USUALLY don't eat processed sugar, but these are a treat, and I am not feeling bad about eating them. So there!

1/4 cup rosewater (I got mine in the beauty section at Whole Foods, make sure that it doesn't have perfumes and is edible!)

1. Preheat oven to 325*F. Line cupcake pan

2. Mix the fake eggs and set aside

3. Mix cake mix, coconut oil until combine, add liquids and eggs.

4. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way (I think the mix made 18 cupcakes for me)

5. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Check with toothpick.

6. Cool COMPLETELY before frosting.

For Frosting:

21/2- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (I used a looooot)

2 tbsp Earth Balance or coconut oil (I used earth balance)

2-4 tsp almond milk

1-2 tsp rosewater

dot of red food coloring (I promise. A DOT is all you need)

chopped pistachios for decoration

1. Cream half the sugar and margarine until crumbly.

2. Add in almond milk and rosewater, and beat in remaining sugar.

3. Adjust consistency if needed.
4. Pipe frosting on top of cupcakes, I made it tall, swirly and wonderful, then I took pistachios and sprinkled them on the ugly parts.

VOILA! Beautiful cupcakes!

Check back tomorrow for the Mocha Fudge and Devils Food Recipes!

EDIT: Due to the controversy surrounding Bob's Red Mill products right now, I'm unsure I want to promote them. There are other gluten free mixes (I've used Betty Crocker's which was pretty good) you can use, just adjust the liquid ingredients to what the mix you purchased asks for.

Monday, September 12, 2011

As some of you may know- many of you probably don't- I used to run Harlow Magazine. After a long difficult struggle, I decided to close it after a year of four beautiful issues. I miss the interviewing, fancy photos and the glossy pages- so even though my goal for Vegodactyl is eventually a cookbook, I have decided that we will be putting out a semi-annual cookbook/magazine hybrid.
I will be stuffing the issues with fabulous food porn, recipes, reviews, and interviews with other vegans, gleegans, and companies that support any of these lifestyles. Yes, I will still be supporting amazing fashions!
If you're interested in being a part of this please contact me via my website at this address!
Thank you for your continued support- and please look forward to three new recipes this coming week!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Thank you Vegan Yack Attack for putting together several of my favorite things! Smoothies, chia seeds, chocolate, and frozen bananas. This was the perfect quick snack while I was busy crafting all afternoon! It reminds me of a shake my parents used to make with bananas, icecream, and slim fast powder: but WAY healthier!

For the recipe I used almond butter instead of peanut butter and about 3/4 cup of almond milk. YUMMY